Speaker Bio & Abstract

 
Iain Langlands GIS Manager
Glasgow City Council
United Kingdom

BiographyIain Langlands is GIS Manager in Glasgow City Council, the UK’s largest single-tier Local Authority. He has tirelessly promoted the use of GIS as a valuable data and visualisation tool where “the map” is the start of an analytical journey and not, as it used to be, the end. Iain’s current projects include the re-provision of an IT architecture and hardware which will enable significant scalability in Glasgow’s GI capability, the integration of multi-platform data to facilitate “Big Data” analytics, policy & strategy scenario modelling and the provision of a dynamic and expanding central geospatial data bureau for the Council and its partners.

The innovative and award-winning “Future Cities: Glasgow” project was a catalyst for change in Glasgow, demonstrating and testing the value of Smart Cities initiatives in e.g. community engagement, policy development, location-based analytics, business transformation, social mobility and much more besides. It also highlighted the benefits of corporate working; breaking down internal silos of data and working corporately to deliver lean working practices and transformational business solutions.

Geospatial data management and visualisation, when combined with the multitude of sensor data available from Glasgow’s built-environment and the wide array of data sets which can be geo-enabled through address referencing (e.g. social indicators, paths to employment, access to transport, health outcomes), is enabling a data revolution which is transforming the way Glasgow and its partners do business. AbstractGlasgow has already succeeded in demonstrating the value of an award-winning Smart City approach to improving service delivery. Real efficiency improvements are embedded in our processes and the City’s services are engaging with more citizens than ever before. More and more, Glasgow’s people feel part of this great city.

Glasgow is now developing these improvements into transactional exchanges with its citizens, businesses and visitors – further improving engagement and enabling a superior two-way customer experience. Glasgow has transitioned from working for its people to working with its people – a laudable outcome.

The city is already planning the third stage of the transformation which will deliver a “Digital Twin” capable of delivering evidence-based outcomes relevant to the prevailing demands of all who interact with the city.

As the digital twin is aligned with the Digital Glasgow Strategy – an ambitious vision for the city where digital drives inclusive economic growth, transforms public services and improves our citizens’ quality of life – we will work towards our two primary aims:
» To stimulate innovation and to establish Glasgow as a top 20 global digital economy
» To be recognised as one of the most pioneering and smart cities in the world and to apply this innovation to transforming our public services.